National Status Research Articles

Role of plant functional traits in the invasion success: analysis of nine species of Asteraceae

Various attributes are hypothesized to facilitate the dominance of an invasive species in non-native geographical and ecological regimes. To explore the characteristic invasive attributes of the family Asteraceae, a comparative study was conducted among nine species of this family, co-occurring in the western Himalayan region. Based on their nativity and invasion status, the species were categorized as “Invasive”, “Naturalized”, and “Native”. Fifteen plant functional traits, strongly linked with invasion, were examined in the test species. The analyses revealed a strong dissimilarity between all the plant functional traits (except leaf carbon [Leaf C]) represented by “Invasive” and “Native” categories and most of the traits (except leaf area [LA], leaf nitrogen [Leaf N], Leaf C, and leaf carbon-nitrogen ratio [C: N]) represented by the “Naturalized” and “Native” categories. Similarly, “Invasive” and “Naturalized” categories also varied significantly for most of the traits (except Leaf N, Leaf C, capitula per m² population [Cm²], seeds per capitula [Scapitula], and seed mass). Invasive species are characterized by high LA, specific leaf area [SLA] and germination, and low C:N and leaf construction costs [LCC]. Most of the traits represented by native species justify their non-invasive behavior; whereas the naturalized species, despite having better size metrics (plant height), resource investment strategy (aboveground non-reproductive biomass [BNR], and aboveground reproductive biomass [BR]), and reproductive output (capitula per individual plant [Cplant], and seeds per individual plant [Splant]) failed to invade, which implies that the role of these functional aspects in imparting invasion potential to a species is not consistent in all the ecosystems and/or phylogenetic groups. Results of PCA revealed that trait divergence plays a more imperative role in invasion success than naturalization in the species of the family Asteraceae. The present study is intended to refine the pre-generalized invasion concepts associated with family Asteraceae to ensure more accurate identification of the potential invaders and better management of the existing ones.

Prostate cancer: unmet supportive and palliative care needs: national survey of patients and family carers

ObjectivesMen living with prostate cancer have supportive and palliative needs. However, few studies detail unmet needs (vs quality of life measurement) or include data from those with advanced disease. We...

An evaluation of ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower seed mixes in Italy: are they potential vectors of alien plant species?

Wildflower areas are increasingly used in both urban and rural settings to enhance landscape aesthetics and help the conservation of pollinators, whose dramatic decline threatens both ecosystem functioning and agricultural production. Consequently, today many ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower seed mixes can be found on the market. Criteria for the design of these mixes are focused on the ability of the plants to attract pollinators, whereas the identity of the plants themselves in terms of their alien or native status is often not adequately considered. Moreover, seed mixes often lack sufficient floral resources in the early spring and late-season months, which are important to sustain pollinators throughout their whole life cycle. In this study, we analyzed 36 ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower seed mixes commercially available in Italy in terms of (1) the abundance of native and alien species, (2) the occurrence of locally alien species with reference to three Italian geographic areas (northern, peninsular, and insular Italy), and (3) the flowering period of native and alien species. Most (83%) of the analyzed seed mixes contain species alien to Italy, with three of them also including invasive alien species. Among native species, many (41%) are locally alien to at least one of the geographic areas. Overall, native species provide earlier blooms than alien species and around 35% of the seed mixes lack blooms in early-spring (March) or prolonged throughout autumn (September-November). These findings highlight the widespread use of alien plant species in ‘pollinator-friendly’ wildflower mixes, which poses serious risks for biodiversity and habitat conservation, especially when sown in agricultural areas. We suggest a more careful design and use of such wildflower mixes, promoting a wider adoption of native seeds of local origin and a greater attention to the blooming period. If properly designed, wildflower mixes can represent an effective strategy for biodiversity conservation in both urban and rural areas.

The Burden, Challenges, and Prospects of Hand Surgery Practice in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract Background: Hand injuries sometimes cause significant loss of function with psychological and functional consequences. The national status on dedicated specialised hand surgery units, hand surgery fellowship programmes, and outcome of operative hand surgery cases is generally lacking. Aims: To determine the current state of hand surgery practice in south eastern Nigeria and identify the major challenges to its practice and proffer realistic solutions. Methods: This was a prospective and cross-sectional study conducted amongst accredited hospitals for plastic surgery training in south eastern Nigeria amongst plastic surgery senior residents. Data were collected using a well-structured online questionnaire validated by a panel of investigators created as a Google form. Data analysis was carried out using Statistical package for Social Sciences by IBM, version 22. Ethical approval was obtained from the health, research, and ethical committee of the University of Enugu Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Results: There was a 70.59% response rate with 24 residents filling and submitting the questionnaire. Lack of fellowship training opportunities in hand surgery represents the most important challenge of hand surgery practice, followed by lack of appropriate facilities in government institutions in contrast to a lack of funding in private ones. Other major challenges include lack of adequate funding, lack of facilities, late presentation of cases, and lack of appropriate follow-up physiotherapy protocol. Availability of competent hand surgery specialists was significantly correlated with the frequency of hand surgery cases in the facilities (P = 0.000; χ2 = 20.400). Conclusion/Recommendation: The current state of hand surgery practice in south eastern Nigeria is not yet optimal. The creation of more hand fellowship trainings and courses bagged first place in recommended solutions by nearly half of the respondents. Provision of modern facilities, creation of dedicated hand surgical units, and better funding to the specialty were other suggestions.

The history of the Porto Palermo Castle and the significance of its Greek inscription

The castle in Porto Palermo is an important historical site with a Greek inscription, which is of great cultural significance for the region and the whole world, testifying to the ancient history and connection with different cultures and eras. The aim of this study is to investigate the significance of this inscription in the context of the history of the castle in Porto Palermo. Throughout the study, various theoretical methods of understanding were employed, including analysis, synthesis, specification, abstraction, and generalization. The research revealed that Porto Palermo, formerly known as the ancient Epirot city of Panormi, maintained its significance as a fortress throughout the Middle Ages, serving trade interests. By the end of the 18th century, the region came under the governance of Governor Ali Tepelene. It was determined that the Porto Palermo Fortress, constructed in 1803, situated on a peninsula, features a triangular shape, towering walls, bastions, and marble slabs inscribed with Greek text, emphasizing the historical importance of the castle and past events. It is described that in the Paschalëk region under the Ottoman Empire's rule, where the fortress stood, Greek became the official language at Ali Pasha's court, fostering unity among different ethnic groups despite linguistic differences. Remarkably, during Ali Pasha's era, Albanians had yet to acquire national status. It is described that on the white marble plaque, there is a relief inscription in Greek script, which elaborately describes the historical aspects of the castle, the greatness of Ali Tepelene, his significance as a historical figure for Albania and Greece, and his recognition as an unparalleled military leader. This study is important for historians whose subject is Albania under Ottoman rule, as it is possible to deepen and broaden general historical knowledge by studying such elements of culture and architecture.

Evaluation of Probiotic Food Knowledge and Consumption Status of Sports Science Faculty Students

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge levels and consumption habits regarding probiotic foods among students of the Faculty of Sport Sciences. The study included 217 male and 173 female university students enrolled in the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Balıkesir University. A five-question survey was developed by reviewing the scientific literature relevant to the study's objectives for data collection. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS program. The distribution of responses to the survey questions was examined through frequency and percentage analysis, and the relationships between the responses were assessed using chi-square analysis. No significant differences were found between participants' knowledge levels and consumption of probiotic-enriched foods concerning variables such as gender, type of sport, department, year of study, and national status (p>0.05). However, when the perceived benefits of probiotic foods were examined, a significant difference was observed in favor of individual athletes according to the variable of sports discipline (p<0.05). In conclusion, while no general differences were found in the knowledge and consumption habits regarding probiotic foods among the participants, the perceived benefits were associated with the type of sport, particularly favoring individual athletes.

Analysis of Carbon Monoxide on Transportation Along the Eastern Crossroad of Jambi

The Eastern Crossroad is one of the national roads that connect the city of Jambi with other cities, districts, and provinces, resulting in relatively heavy traffic and frequent congestion on this road. This has led to the concentration of carbon monoxide (CO), which can result in a decline in ambient air quality. The research used a quantitative descriptive approach aimed at depicting the ambient air quality of CO on Mendalo Darat Road, which is part of Eastern Crossroad. The research revealed the highest vehicle density of 17,954 units in the morning on Tuesday, with the highest emission rate of 114,290 µg/m.s, and the lowest density on Sunday morning with 6,568 units and an emission rate of 44,207 µg/m.s. The highest accumulation of CO emission levels occurred on Tuesday evening, reaching 38,536.44 µg/Nm3. Overall, the ambient air quality of CO on Mendalo Darat Road tends to exceed the quality standards. The accumulation of increased CO emissions correlates closely with the road's national status, increased vehicle density due to high community activity, changes in the day's status (working day), and road conditions with traffic signal devices.

Analysis of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Commercializing Sports Leagues Based on NBA Alliance

Through the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of commercialization in the NBA league, the conclusion drawn in this article is that the increase in the degree of commercialization ion of the league has a significant impact on the league's visibility, commercial value, economic income, and overall competitive level. It can also drive the development of the entire sports industry and the formation of a country's sports culture. In the process of commercialization, corresponding problems also arise. From the perspective of fairness, certain matches in the league may be affected by commercial interests in the terms of the fairness of referee calls and penalties. Sometimes, concessions may be made for the sake of the viewing and smoothness of the game, which can damage the interests of one team and violate the spirit of fairness and justice in sports. In addition, gray industries such as gambling and soccer are constantly emerging, which have a great impact and harm on society and are difficult to completely avoid. After decades of development, the NBA has successfully captured the development dividends of the media and Internet era, completed its own brand building, and pushed the NBA to the world. The NBA continuously improves its internal rules, introduces a series of policies, works closely with sponsors in various fields, and make it the world's number one professional basketball league. In order for China's professional basketball league to develop and grow on the path of professionalization and commercialization, in addition to learning and drawing on the NBA business model, it is also necessary to combine its own basic national conditions and basketball development status, formulate basketball league and culture with Chinese characteristics.

“We’re not as great as we used to be”: Perceived national status threat and the desire for strong leaders

We examined whether perceived national status threat—i.e., perceiving that one’s country’s status on the international scene is in decline—predicts increased desire for a strong conservative or progressive leader through greater national nostalgia and collective angst. A pilot study on strong leaders’ speeches from the 2017 French presidential election campaign first revealed that both conservative and progressive strong leaders use the status threat narrative, albeit in another form. In four quantitative surveys conducted across France, Malaysia and Chile, we then found that national status threat predicted increased desire for both conservative and progressive strong leaders. In France and Chile, but not Malaysia, the underlying path was contingent on the type of leader, such that nostalgia predicted increased desire for a conservative but not a progressive strong leader. Although correlational, our data suggest that decline narratives might provide a fertile ground for the desire for diverse forms of strong leadership.

Temporary migration and wage inequality: The effects of skills, nationality and migration status in Aotearoa New Zealand

Temporary migration and wage inequality: The effects of skills, nationality and migration status in Aotearoa New Zealand

Intergroup evaluative bias in facial representations of immigrants and citizens in the United States.

We used a reverse-correlation image-classification paradigm to visualize facial representations of immigrants and citizens in the United States. Visualizations of immigrants' faces were judged by independent raters as less trustworthy and less competent and were more likely to be categorized as a non-White race/ethnicity than were visualizations of citizens' faces. Additionally, image generators' personal characteristics (e.g., implicit and explicit evaluations of immigrants, nativity status) did not reliably track with independent judges' ratings of image generators' representations of immigrants. These findings suggest that anti-immigrant sentiment and racial/ethnic assumptions characterize facial representations of immigrants in the United States, even among people who harbor positivity toward immigrants.

The representation of disability in the Italian media: The case of Ansa

The representation of disability in the media significantly influences the social perception of disability among the general population, as well as among individuals with disabilities themselves. This study focuses on the case of Ansa, the primary Italian press agency, to examine its portrayal of disability and persons with disabilities in the year 2022. Through the content analysis of a corpus comprising 1692 articles collected via keyword search, the research aims to draw a ‘map’ that can describe the disability narrative conveyed by Ansa. Key findings highlight Ansa’s narrative as displaying a form of under-representation of disability. Physical and mobility disabilities dominate the discourse, adhering to the common mediatic ‘hierarchy of disabilities’. But even more clearly, Ansa’s representation tends to be generic, abstract and lacking in specificity, thus presenting disability as a depersonalised and collective label. The narratives predominantly revolve around political interventions, funding, and institutional aid, with limited attention given to personal life stories that rarely attain national news status. Ultimately, the agency’s portrayal appears as a narrative of disability without the disabled persons, representing the phenomenon as a systemic issue that can be resolved through public frameworks and policies, with no direct involvement of those affected. This reinforces the notion that disability is a depersonalised problem that always needs external solutions.

Electrical Injuries in Nepal: An Analysis of Nepal Police Records

Electric shock is a major cause of injury-related mortality and morbidity. However, it remains a neglected issue in Nepal because mortality and morbidity data are unsystematic and many of them are even unknown. Realizing the need of a systematic study in this regard, I aim to present the available national status of electrical injuries using incidents recorded by Nepal Police from July 2014 to July 2019 for an analysis. The data, obtained in descriptive narratives include information on the injured person's age, sex, place of occurrence, month of occurrence, activity during the occurrence, and the number of casualties per incident. This article explores the issue in some detail to open up the avenues for further study. The findings that I mentioned above indicate a significant burden of electrical injuries in Nepal, potentially higher than reported due to limitations in the police data recording system. As the government regulates electricity distribution, it should also be accountable for preventing electric shock incidents and saving many lives.

Factor structure and invariance of the 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) for a sample of people in situations of homelessness

ABSTRACT People in situations of homelessness (PSH) have high levels of psychological impairment. Few studies have analyse the suitability of the instruments used to measure these levels. The aim of this study was to analyse the factorial structure and invariance (sex, age, nationality and housing status) of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) for a sample of PSH (n = 603) living in the Community of Madrid (Spain). A quantitative study was designed using a survey that include the GHQ-12 and other health measures (self-assessed health and diagnosis of mental illness). A comparison of three models (unidimensional, two correlated latent factors and bi-factor) showed that the bi-factor model provided the best goodness-of-fit indicators. A latent structure was identified in which each item was loaded into a general factor measuring a single GHQ-12 factor. The number of latent factors and the structure of factorial loads for GHQ-12 items were similar between groups. The GHQ-12 can be used as a screening instrument rather than as an outcome measure in different clinical dimensions. It is an appropriate instrument for assessing psychological impairment among PSH regardless of sex, age, nationality or housing status.

Response of Reduced Grassland Degradation Index to Climate Change in China

Grasslands have been increasingly impacted by human activities, gradually becoming one of the most threatened ecosystems globally. Advanced geographic information technology and remote sensing techniques allow for a fresh perspective on studying the response of the grassland degradation index (GDI) to climate change. This study utilized remote sensing image data of grasslands to calculate the vegetation coverage and derive the GDI for five grassland regions of China from 2001 to 2019. The results indicate that the national degradation status of grasslands remained at a level of mild degradation. The increasing trend of the GDI in some regions was effectively inhibited by regional climate change, especially in the Northeastern and Northern Plain–Mountain–Hill Grassland regions, where the GDI showed a continuous decreasing trend. GDI was strongly correlated with atmospheric pressure, precipitation, temperature, and wind speed. In the arid northern region, the increasing precipitation and decreasing temperatures predominantly contributed to the depressed GDI. In the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau Grassland region, the instability of the GDI is attributed to fluctuating atmospheric pressure, with a correlation coefficient ranging from 0.5 to 0.8. Our findings underscore the importance of meteorological factors to evaluate and forecast grassland ecosystem stability. This understanding is vital for developing informed conservation and management strategies to address current and future climate challenges.

Tailoring COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies in High-Seroprevalence Settings: Insights from Ethiopia.

This study aimed to retrospectively assess the cost-effectiveness of various COVID-19 vaccination strategies in Ethiopia. It involved healthcare workers (HCWs) and community participants; and was conducted through interviews and serological tests. Local SARS-CoV-2 variants and seroprevalence rates, as well as national COVID-19 reports and vaccination status were also analyzed. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed to determine the most economical vaccination strategies in settings with limited vaccine access and high SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence. Before the arrival of the vaccines, 65% of HCWs had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, indicating prior exposure to the virus. Individuals with prior infection exhibited a greater antibody response to COVID-19 vaccines and experienced fewer new infections compared to those without prior infection, regardless of vaccination status (5% vs. 24%, p < 0.001 for vaccinated; 3% vs. 48%, p < 0.001 for unvaccinated). The cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that a single-dose vaccination strategy is optimal in settings with high underlying seroprevalence and limited vaccine availability. This study underscores the need for pragmatic vaccination strategies tailored to local contexts, particularly in high-seroprevalence regions, to maximize vaccine impact and minimize the spread of COVID-19. Implementing a targeted approach based on local seroprevalence information could have helped Ethiopia achieve higher vaccination rates and prevent subsequent outbreaks.

What is the usual eating window for children and adolescents aged 6-20 years: a systematic review

This abstract was awarded the Student Competition prize.Time-limited eating is a dietary intervention whereby calorie intake is limited to a specific window of time during the day(1). The usual eating windows (EW) of adults, and how this can be manipulated for dietary interventions, is well documented(2). However, there is a paucity of data on the usual EW of children and adolescents, which may be a useful intervention for reducing obesity.The primary objective was to systematically review existing literature on the usual EW of children and adolescents. Secondary objectives were to identify average clock times of first and last food/drink intakes and also variations in EW and clock times by age, nationality or weight status subgroups, if available data allowed.Two databases (Medline and Embase) were searched for eligible papers published between February 2013 and February 2023. Included papers were forward searched using the citation network on Web of Science. 6347 papers were identified, and after deduplication 4569 papers were screened by two independent reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using a Joanna Briggs Institute checklist(3).Ten studies were included, with both observational and experimental designs. These studies had a total population of 4,589 participants, with individual study sample sizes ranging from 22 to 2195. Ages of participants ranged from 6 – 20 years, with six studies involving adolescents alone (≥10 years), and four involving children and adolescents. There were four studies from the USA, two from Germany and one each from Brazil, India, The Netherlands and pan-European.Narrative synthesis showed large variations in average eating windows from 9.7 to 16.4 hours. Only four studies included clock times of intake, with large variations in both first and last intake times. Five studies were included in a random-effects meta-analysis, in which heterogeneity was considerable (I2 = 95.8%), and pooled duration of usual daily eating was 11.3 hours (95% confidence interval (CI) 10.95, 11.73). Sources of heterogeneity included differences in study design and populations, variation in dietary assessments methods and definition of eating windows. Narrative synthesis of an adolescent sub-group showed eating windows increased as children got older. Four studies were included in a random-effects sub-group meta-analysis, with a pooled EW of 11.2 hours (95% CI 10.27, 12.05; I2 = 96.6%) in adolescents. Insufficient data prevented further subgroup analysis.In conclusion large variations in eating windows exist across different study populations, with limited data available on first and last intake times; however, the pooled data suggest it may be possible to design time-limited eating interventions in paediatric populations aimed at reducing eating windows. Further high-quality research, of eating windows and associations with health outcomes, is needed.

International Human Rights Law: Enforcement Mechanisms and Challenges in a Globalized World

The abstract provides an overview of international human rights law, examining its enforcement mechanisms and the challenges it faces in an increasingly interconnected and globalized world. the evolution of human rights law, the role of international organizations, and the complexities of ensuring compliance and accountability in diverse cultural, political, and legal contexts. International human rights law serves as a cornerstone of the global legal framework, promoting fundamental rights and freedoms for all individuals regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, or social status. The abstract delves into the origins of human rights law, tracing its development from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to various international treaties, conventions, and customary norms.

Identifying the intersection of parental HPV and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy to inform health messaging interventions in community-based settings

PurposeParental human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine hesitancy contributes to delays or refusals in adolescent uptake. It is unclear if COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has further impacted the low HPV vaccine uptake trends among underrepresented minorities. This study examines the relationship between COVID-19 vaccine intent and HPV vaccine hesitancy among parents for their adolescents in communities with low vaccine uptake in Los Angeles County. MethodsParents from a school-based academic enrichment program serving low-income, first-generation immigrant families completed an online cross-sectional survey to understand parental HPV vaccine hesitancy, adolescent HPV vaccine behavior, and attitudes towards other vaccines, including intent to receive COVID-19 vaccines. In March 2021, parents with children ages 9–17 years completed online surveys. Using multivariate logistic regression models, we examined whether low parent intent to vaccinate their adolescent against COVID-19 was associated with hesitancy to vaccinate against HPV. ResultsA total of 291 surveys were completed. Among parents with high HPV vaccine hesitancy for their adolescent, 33 % did not intend to vaccinate their adolescent against COVID-19 compared to 7 % among parents with low HPV vaccine hesitancy. Low parent intention to vaccinate adolescent against COVID-19 was associated with higher HPV vaccine hesitancy (p < 0.01) after controlling for parent nativity status, medical mistrust, receiving the flu vaccination and negative HPV information. DiscussionOur findings indicate associations between low parental COVID-19 vaccine intent and higher HPV vaccine hesitancy for their adolescent. Identifying community-relevant health interventions to address parental vaccine hesitancy across multiple child and adolescent vaccines may help to achieve equitable vaccine uptake.

Accounting a strategic benefit for MSMEs

Today there are micro and medium-sized companies that are in the commercial, industrial and service sectors, but not all of them manage to function in the economic sector. Starting a business is a challenge for anyone, because it involves a process, making it grow and positioning it in a national and global status. The behavior and growth of small and medium-sized businesses is due to various factors, one of them is the method of recording the activities carried out by MSMEs derived from their operations. Many companies lack knowledge and as a result of this, the weaknesses in their organization prevent the business from growing on a larger scale. The investigation will serve to identify the improvement purposes that would be achieved if they kept their accounting records properly. The MSMEs of Villahermosa, Tabasco, specifically in the Tierra Colorada Colony, will be evaluated.